Cassie Nii

🧠 Ever wondered how other instructional designers are solving the same design challenges you face every day? The Florida ATD Instructional Design Special Interest Group (SIG) is a statewide virtual community where instructional designers and learning professionals connect to share practices, explore tools, and collaborate on real-world design challenges. It’s a space to exchange strategies, templates, workflows, and design approaches you can apply immediately to your own projects. Sessions also explore emerging trends, technologies, and evolving practices in instructional design, helping professionals stay current as the field continues to evolve. Sponsored by Shawntay Skjoldager (Trainologist), an instructional design leader with over 17 years of experience across K–12, higher education, corporate, and consulting environments. 📅 3rd Thursday of every month ⏰ 6:30 PM ET 📍 Virtual (Zoom) 💲 Free for ATD members Host Chapter: ATDCFL Register here: https://lnkd.in/eFgGQH7p If you're looking to sharpen your instructional design practice while connecting with other professionals across Florida, this SIG is a great place to do it. #atd #atdfloridasuncoast #instructionaldesign #sig #strategy #training #learning

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One of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned in instructional design? Iteration. It’s almost impossible to get everything right the first time, whether it’s a project idea, a visual mockup, or a prototype. There are just too many moving parts! You have to consider stakeholders, learners, organizational goals, and even personal preferences and aesthetics. Add to that the rapid pace of technology, and the fact that instructional designers are deeply connected to that progress, and you’ve got a never-ending cycle of build → evaluate → revise → repeat. And honestly? That’s what makes the work so rewarding. Every iteration brings you a little closer to something that truly works. What’s your process for handling iteration? Do you love the refinement stage, or find it the toughest part of design? #LxD #eLearning #Storyline #ID #LearningDesign

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The last Learning Designers Community (LDC) meetup brought together 17 learning designers from ed tech, L&D, K12, and LX design to reflect on #CarlHendrick’s webinar on the Five Illusions of Learning. Like all LDC meetups, the focus was on practice in real learning contexts. As I co-facilitated for the first time, three things stood out for me. #Illusion1: engagement does not always mean learning. We ideated on how to look beyond visible cues, what deep learning means & how activities remain in memory & not learning! #Second, discovery learning may not work for novice learners. We spoke about sequencing content more carefully, providing clearer guidance to new leaners while amping up self-learning challenges for advanced ones. #Third, Small wins help retain continued motivation, especially among younger learners. Most of us were raking our brians on how to find the balance between designing for easy wins vs friction for deeper learning. This space helped access a sense of validation, engagement & fun! Big shout out to Shraddha Rawat Miriam Elnaggar #LDC #LandD #peerlearning #learningcommunity

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"AI has made two potential futures for the profession extremely clear. Future 1: Instructional Designers Are Pushed Downward Into Production Oversight or...

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Designing eLearning content doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated! Here are 5 FREE tools that can instantly elevate your course design; from visuals to fonts and icons. Whether you're an instructional designer, educator, or content creator, these resources will help you make your learning modules look as good as they teach! Check them out 👇 #Canva | #Unsplash | #Freepik | #Flaticon | #GoogleFonts #eLearning #InstructionalDesign #DigitalLearning #DesignTools #EdTech #ContentCreation #LearningDesign #OnlineEducation #VisualDesign #Vaidikeduservices

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What does it actually look like to build a successful freelance instructional design career on your own terms? In this candid Q&A masterclass, Kim Tuohy shares the realities of freelancing, the flexibility it’s created in her life, and answers audience questions live to help others start building their own path. Watch the full recording to hear the insights, advice, and behind-the-scenes lessons from nearly a decade of freelance success: https://hubs.li/Q04h4P7B0

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Instructional design work lives in the gray. That’s because our work is built around people, and people aren’t black and white. Every project brings different personalities, priorities, and perspectives. What feels like a “clear” plan in theory can get fuzzy fast when you add in real humans with real experiences. It’s not about right vs. wrong. It’s about listening, adapting, and finding that space where good pedagogy meets the lived reality of the people we’re designing for, students and faculty alike. How I cope with the gray: 1. I start with curiosity instead of judgment. When someone’s approach doesn’t match my expectations, I ask why before I decide how. 2. I focus on the basics. If I’m unsure which way to go, I return to the course goals, the learner's needs, and the outcomes we’re aiming for. 3. I give myself permission to pivot. Flexibility and adaptibility is a superpower. It’s how we build stronger solutions that actually work in context. Some days, working in the gray feels messy and stressful. But it’s also where the most creative, human-centered solutions are born. #CTLinCLT #instructionaldesign #learningdesign #SME #leader #highered #studentfocused #studentled #reflection

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"Just make it engaging.” If you’ve ever worked in instructional design, you’ve heard this from a stakeholder. But here’s the problem: *“engaging”* means nothing unless it’s tied to a learning goal. ✨ True engagement isn’t flashy graphics or gamification for the sake of it. It’s relevance. It’s clarity. It’s giving learners what they need, when they need it—so they can do something *better* as a result. That means understanding your audience, mapping learning to real outcomes, and designing with purpose, not just aesthetics. The next time someone asks for “engaging,” ask them this: 👉 *What should the learner be able to do after this?* That’s where the real design begins. #instructionaldesign #learninganddevelopment #elearningdesign #learningstrategy #contentdesign #edtech

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100% of IDs that used AI to support their work got better & faster results? Not surprising - This does track with my experience, and the growth I see in people and content once they are trained on good use of AI for instructional design. I will say though, the qualifying factors are 1) As the study mentions - generic knowledge base of the topic. In our recent AI Accelerator cohort, one person tried making a course with AI on Arctic Law - a very very niche area of law with barely any public information available. AI hallucinated and guessed its way around. Way more ID/SME involvement is necessary then to create reliable materials 2) Knowledge of IDs themselves. Since the people taking this study were second year Masters students in CMU, it is fair to assume they had good knowledge of ID Principles to separate wheat from chaff, so to speak. Will your SME have the same discernment? Or are they more likely to take whatever lesson plan AI generates as gospel truth? Make no mistake - it will still probably be better than if they were doing it themselves totally. But the value that the ID students brought to this experiment should not be understated - there was no case in this study where the AI content was presented without ID intervention. 3) Fluency using AI systems - the best outputs occur when the AI user (IDs in this case) know how best to leverage AI. I see people's output quality rise significantly before and after AI training. Why? Because like any other tool, how you use is as important as what you use.

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Traditional eLearning methods take months and thousands of dollars. Rapid eLearning development flips the script: ✅ Transform training materials into interactive modules in minutes ✅ Use rapid authoring tools to cut development costs ✅ Deliver training that stays current with every product or team update See how teams use rapid eLearning solutions to launch products faster and onboard employees better. 👉 Read the blog. Link in the comments

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If building eLearning still takes months, something is broken. It is not your team. It is the way courses are produced. CourseEngine and the Mission Fuel Instructional Design Team has replaced the old production model, with greater speed and quality. Turn any content (PDF's Word, PPT, transcripts from webinars) into real, SCORM ready courses in minutes. Review with SMEs without endless loops. Publish once. Update fast. And choose how you want to work: - Do it yourself (DIY) - Do it with expert designers (DWY) - Or let us do it for you (DFY) That's Mission Fuel. Stop building learning like it is 2010. missionfuel.ai

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The new episode of the eLearning Champion Podcast is out. This episode features Gerry White, offering compelling insights into how AI is empowering and elevating the work of instructional designers. It’s a conversation you won’t want to miss. Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gWVvahM9 #aiineducation #instructionaldesign #learninganddevelopment #corporatetraining #elearningtrends

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❓Why isn't your training delivering business impact? Many organizations pour time and money into learning programs — but still struggle to see real results. The reason? Lack of strategic instructional design. 📚 In our "The Instructional Design ROI Mystery," unpacks how thoughtful design can turn training into a performance powerhouse. 👉 Swipe through to discover how instructional design: ✅ Drives learner engagement ✅ Supports talent retention ✅ Aligns learning with business goals ✅ Clearly demonstrates ROI Ready to make your training work smarter? Reach out to us on https://lnkd.in/gVQmnrG9 Follow us on 👇 Facebook : https://bit.ly/3P4wTKZ Instagram: https://bit.ly/3ZVJNBc #InstructionalDesign #LearningAndDevelopment #ROI #EmployeeEngagement #BusinessImpact

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Instructional Designers and L&D professionals: elevate your learning programs with Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction, a structured, evidence-based framework rooted in cognitive psychology. From capturing learner attention to enhancing retention and transfer, each event strategically supports the learning journey. Learn how to apply this approach effectively in modern eLearning environments in our latest blog. https://lnkd.in/efyVtY5S #InstructionalDesign #Elearning

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Every talent development progressional faces constraints when building learning. Instructional design isn't just about making training attractive, skillful design addresses operational realities. Visit our Resource Center to learn more about using instructional design to overcome learning challenges. https://lnkd.in/gsFhvKqq #instructionaldesignconstraints #instructionaldesign #instructionaldesignconsultant #learningdesign

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Introducing L&D Launchers 🚀 ~ ATD St. Louis’ New SIG for Instructional Designers Starting April 1st, 2026, (NO JOKE!) 😎 Ready to Think Bigger, Build Smarter, Grow Faster, and Execute Bravely? If you’re an Instructional Designer who’s ready to level up your craft and your career, ATD St. Louis just launched something built exactly for you. Meet L&D Launchers — a brand‑new Special Interest Group blending entrepreneurial mindset with instructional design mastery. And the best part? ATD St. Louis members attend for FREE. If you’re not a member yet… this is the moment to join. https://lnkd.in/gmaWzjyK 🌟 What Makes L&D Launchers Different? This isn’t another “tips and tricks” group. It’s a year‑long professional development arc designed to help new and developing IDs build clarity, capability, and confidence — using a quarterly framework inspired by entrepreneurial classics and aligned to the ATD Talent Development Capability Model. The program moves through four powerful phases: 🔹 Q1 — THINK: Vision, Role Clarity & ID Identity You’ll define the Instructional Designer you’re becoming and craft a Professional Development Aim that guides your decisions all year long. As the document puts it: “Define a clear professional vision as an Instructional Designer… Establish the identity of the ID you are becoming.” 🔹 Q2 — BUILD: Needs Analysis, Assets & ID Leverage Shift from order‑taker to strategist by mapping your workflow, identifying reusable assets, and choosing your next “leverage experiment.” The program reframes ID work through an entrepreneurial lens: “Understand ‘assets vs liabilities’ as reusable ID assets (templates, frameworks, systems).” 🔹 Q3 — GROW: Learner Behavior, Engagement & Experience Design Audit your design habits, reduce cognitive load, and focus on the high‑impact decisions that actually move learners forward. One of the core prompts: “Which design choices help or hinder learner success?” 🔹 Q4 — EXECUTE: Systems, Habits & Your ID Operating System You’ll close the year by building your own Instructional Design Operating System (IDOS) — a personal blueprint for how you design, learn, and lead. The program emphasizes identity‑based habits: “Build identity-based habits that support your Professional Aim.” 🎯 Who Is This For? New and emerging Instructional Designers IDs seeking clarity, confidence, and community L&D pros ready to think like strategists, not order‑takers Anyone who wants to blend an entrepreneurial mindset with instructional design excellence. 🎁 Why Join ATD St. Louis Now? Because L&D Launchers is free for members — and it’s one of the most thoughtfully designed, capability‑building programs we’ve ever offered. If you’re ready to launch your next chapter as an Instructional Designer, this is your runway. https://lnkd.in/gmaWzjyK Association for Talent Development (ATD) - St. Louis Chapter, Association for Talent Development (ATD)

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Tired of hearing "it's impossible" when it comes to making drag-and-drop interactions in Articulate Storyline fully accessible? At ID Atlas, we believe in solutions! Our new project tutorial explains a method for building WCAG 2.0 and Section 508 compliant drag-and-drop interactions using a freeform slide with buttons (and LOTS of variables) in Storyline. It includes essential techniques such as enabling keyboard navigation with motion paths, implementing variable-based answer checking, and using effective alt text. We've got a working demo for you to play around with and a FREE .story template (just rename .zip to .story) to download and let you get a look under the hood! A big thank you to Art Del Rosario for his work in helping to develop this accessible interaction project. Full tutorial & download: https://lnkd.in/dVFdGCUJ #InstructionalDesign #eLearning #Accessibility #WCAG #Section508 #Articulate360 #Storlyine #IDAtlas #Freebie

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Instructional Design as a profession is not disappearing — but the version most organizations employ today is. The market is quietly but decisively shifting away from: Course factories LMS-centric roles Compliance-first learning teams “We need...

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Storyboard_V1.0: “Looks great!” Storyboard_V17.0: “Let’s just add one small thing…” Every instructional designer knows this story. You submit your first storyboard. Clean. Structured. Beautiful. ✨ Then the feedback starts rolling in: 👉 “Can we add this? It’s important.” 👉 “Let’s include one more example.” 👉 “Maybe a quick scenario?” 👉 “Oh… and a short video.” 👉 “And this compliance point.” Seventeen versions later… Your storyboard has officially entered its ✨ expansion era ✨ Welcome to the world of stakeholder feedback, scope stretch, and evolving learning requirements. But here’s the twist — this is where real learning design magic happens. 🧠 Because behind every “small addition” is: ✔ clearer learning objectives ✔ stronger business alignment ✔ better learner relevance ✔ richer instructional strategy Iteration isn’t the enemy. Unstructured additions are. 😅 The real skill? Turning feedback overload into structured, high-impact eLearning design. 🎯 Be honest… What’s the highest version number your storyboard has reached? 👇😂 #instructionaldesign #elearning #learninganddevelopment #storyboarding #corporatetraining #instructionaldesigner

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